Force sensors can be found in electronic devices and may be utilized for various applications. For example, infusion pump devices and systems are relatively well-known in the medical arts, for use in delivering or dispensing an agent, such as insulin or another prescribed medication, to a patient. Some infusion pump devices utilize a force sensor to detect an occlusion in a fluid path when administering the agent.
A typical infusion pump includes a pump drive system which typically includes a small motor and drive train components that convert rotational motor motion to a translational displacement of a stopper (or plunger) in a reservoir. The reservoir cooperates with tubing, a catheter and/or an infusion set to create a fluid path for carrying medication from the reservoir to the body of a user. Some fluid infusion devices include an occlusion detection feature that determines when an occlusion develops in the fluid path. Thus, medication infusion pump devices have included force sensors designed to detect and indicate a pump malfunction and/or non-delivery of the medication to the patient due to a fluid path occlusion. However, relatively small force sensors that provide relatively high sensitivity and/or accuracy over a narrow range of values (which may be necessary for occlusion detection) may be more susceptible to damage as a result of a physical impact or an applied force exceeding the intended measurement range.